5 Quick Tips for Maintaining a Commercial Deep Fryer

Consider the following tips for properly maintaining a commercial deep frying unit.

By Kinnek Knowledge Team | June 08, 2018

Commercial deep fryers require proper care to ensure that they function effectively — failure to properly maintain a commercial deep fryer can lead to safety issues and food-quality issues that damages your restaurant’s brand. As such, it’s critical that you make efforts to clean and maintain the fryer (and its associated equipment) to the maximum degree possible.

Consider the following tips.

Monitor Oil Quality on a Consistent Basis

Contaminated oil — in other words, oil that has been in use for too long without being filtered or changed — is a big no-no in the world of commercial deep fryers. If the oil is contaminated, or otherwise dirty and overused, then the flavor, smell, and general quality of the food products made in the fryer could be negatively affected.

Workers must make consistent, reasonable efforts to inspect the quality of the oil. When the oil has taken on a bad smell or color (usually a brown coloration), this indicates an immediate need to change the oil. Do bear in mind, however, that while oil can be filtered in order to extend its life, you’ll eventually want to replace the oil — even if a full replacement costs more than filtering.

Clean the Fryer Whenever You Change the Oil

Changing the oil should not only involve a replacement of the oil itself, but should also involve a thorough cleaning of the fryer elements. Use a commercial cleaning brush and scraper, and remove the stuck particulate matter as necessary. Soap and water is typically all you need, but for some situations, you may want to use a chemical aid — check with the manufacturer (or even with the vendor) for further guidance on what chemicals are “safe to use” with your machine.

Keep the Exterior Free of Debris

Don’t forget to clean the outside of the fryer machine, as well as the tabletop area around the fryer. If you fail to do so, then remnant oil may cause injury hazards. Remnant oil could also leak into the apparatus, or onto other tools in the kitchen, causing a much more difficult-to-clean mess later.

Avoid Cooking Above the Recommended Temperatures

Every fryer has a recommended temperature range for cooking. Manufacturers establish these guidelines for good reason — if you operate the fryer above the recommended temperature range, then the oil might burn and influence the flavor of items later cooked in the fryer. Further, the listed temperature range is usually the most “efficient” range for the fryer to operate — if you cook outside of that temperature range (below or above), then it may not fry the food in a way that accurately reflects the capabilities of the machine. You could get an inferior product, with insufficient crispiness, for example.s

Deep Cleaning May Be Necessary

Every so often, a deep cleaning of the commercial fryer is necessary. In the commercial fryer context, deep cleaning means boiling out the fryer. “Boiling out” involves the removal of the used fryer oil, and then the subsequent operation of the fryer machine once it has been filled with a cleaning chemical. Afterwards, the fryer is brushed clean and new oil is added.